A loan defaulter from People's Leasing and Financial Service Ltd (PLFSL), a non-banking financial institution, paid repaid Tk 8.30 crore as a due down payment to its liquidator before the High Court on March 15.

Arafin Shamsul Alamin, finance director of Shamsul Alamin Real Estate, who allegedly defaulted on loans of Tk 384 crore from PLFSL as per its audit report, paid the money through checks and pay orders before the HC bench of Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar in line with its earlier directive, bench sources said.

Arafin Shamsul Alamin also submitted an application to the HC bench through his lawyers Shah Monjurul Hoque and Syeda Nasreen praying to the court to order the authorities to unfreeze his bank accounts and allow him to go abroad and return home.

In the application, he promised to pay Tk 57.37 crore more in Tk 75 lakh instalment per month to PLFSL.

The HC bench fixed March 30 for hearing and passing order on the application, according to sources.

Shamsul's lawyer Shah Monjurul Hoque and Syeda Nasreen and PLFSL's lawyer Mejbahur Rahman could not be reached for their comments on this issue despite repeated attempts over phone last night.

Bangladesh Bank's lawyer Kazi Ershadul Alam told The Daily Star that he received a copy of the application filed by Arafin Shamsul Alamin

He could not say the details of the repayment as he was not present in the courtroom at that time.

The HC bench in a full text of order has recently ordered the police to prevent 122 borrowers, who defaulted on loans from the PLFSL, from leaving the country as they did not appear before the court in line with its January 21 directive.

The law enforcement agencies have been directed to remain alert and vigilant so that the borrowers cannot leave the country until further order.

Earlier, the HC bench had issued summonses on 286 loan defaulters. Of them, 164 appeared before it on February 23, 25 and March 9 this year while the remaining 122 borrowers did not.

In the full text of the order, the HC bench of Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar asked the law enforcers to provide all necessary assistance to the liquidator of PLFSL in getting details on the borrowers.

The bench had passed the order on March 9 while hearing a petition filed by the BB in 2019 seeking permission to liquidate PLFSL.    

The liquidation process began after the PLFSL board informed BB in April 2019 about its inability to pay back its depositors' money despite maturity of the deposits.